Advisor Speak: Selling Luxury Travel

Selling Luxury TravelBy Paloma Villaverde de RicoWe asked a trio of travel advisors who sell luxury travel how they elevate their services and enhance their clients’ travel experiences. They’ve got a few pointers you’ll want to file away. Create Top-tier ExperiencesSuzy Mkhitarian, founder of Wanderlust Weddings and VP of Sales for MS Travel & Tours, a TRAVELSAVERS affiliate, tells Recommend that luxury travel comes with many expectations, so it’s “important to understand exactly what your client wants when making a reservation for them. Attention to detail is very important when working with the affluent traveler, as is constant communication. [They also like] tailor-made reservations and personalized experiences.”SUZY She says to create top-tier experiences for her affluent clients, she “takes the time to understand the product and niche of my supplier/luxury hotel partners.” She fosters a relationship with them and stays in touch with them by attending webinars or dinners in the local area to try and meet them face-to-face. When it comes to recommendations for discerning travelers looking for unparalleled luxury, particularly those seeking unique, off-the-beaten-path adventures, she points to locations with private escapes such as private islands, Africa for safari experiences, jet journeys or Arctic expeditions. Stay One Step Ahead When it comes to working with luxury travelers, Jason Dutton-Smith, owner of Map The World Travel, an affiliate of Avoya Travel, says that understanding the client’s needs and wants are vital. “High-end products come with a price tag to match, and clients want to know they can trust you with their purchase,” he says. “Would you give your credit card to someone for a $25,000 cruise on the first phone call? I believe people buy into you, before they buy from you. This means the more I can earn their trust and show my expertise and worth as a consultant, the more willing they will be to trust me with their purchase.” JASON He says, too, that the relationship with suppliers and other partners is of utmost importance. “Maintaining relationships is a priority and suppliers are always willing to help consultants in any way they can,” he says. “For suppliers, their success is our success, and they are always willing to help. Webinars and online training sessions are the perfect way to understand who your key supplier contacts are and to immerse yourself in the product.” He agrees with Mkhitarian, noting that advisors should attend in-person supplier events such as meet-ups or conferences. “Having that one-to-one conversation,” Dutton-Smith says, “will foster the relationship.” Recognizing that most luxury clients are well-traveled, and that luxury can mean different things to different people, Dutton-Smith says to best serve a luxury client you have to “find that unique destination that not many people have visited. Understanding what their interests are and suitable alternatives is a key skill for agents. So, you loved Paris, have you considered Buenos Aires for the same architecture? Looking for remote relaxation? In Fiji you can do five nights in an overwater bungalow followed by five nights in a luxury treehouse on a private island. Knowing alternatives and keeping ahead of trends will always mean you have suggestions.” Personal Relationships MatterClients come to you for your expertise, stresses Jeffrey Blanchette, president and CEO, Tonic Travel, an Avoya Travel affiliate, noting that “you must have in-depth knowledge of the products you are representing. Clients expect you to make recommendations, answer questions and provide them with detailed information—ideally based on your own first-hand experience. To do this, you must specialize. The luxury travel world is so vast that it is impossible to have in-depth knowledge of it all. I work only with a limited number of small expedition and luxury cruise lines. That is my specialty. I represent the cruise lines I know intimately, lines I have sailed multiple times to multiple destinations.”JEFFERY When dealing with clients, says Blanchette, “Exceptional service is critically important. If the client’s inquiry requires research, I respond to let them know that I am working on their issue. He adds that once you’ve homed in on your specialty, it’s important to get to know the suppliers that can fulfill your clients’ needs. “Every luxury supplier has a business development or sales manager,” says Blanchette. “These people are a great support to travel advisors. They want you to succeed because when you succeed, they succeed. Reach out to them to introduce yourself. Get on their email lists so you can receive information on upcoming promotions and other announcements. Personal relationships matter.” With a speciality in expedition and luxury cruising, Blanchette says that a top travel recommendation for luxury clients is “an expedition ship voyage to Antarctica. For many travelers, this is the last continent on their bucket list. The beauty and majesty of Antarctica is awe-inspiring.”

COVERSANDALSTable of ContentsSANDALS SPREADEditor's NotesWEBINAR HOUSE ADIndustry Insights: Cruise Industry—Overcoming Challenges & Leveraging OpportunitiesPALLADIUMAdvisor Speak: Selling Luxury TravelTURKISH AIRLINESCONDOR AIRLINES SCCONDOR AIRLINES‘A Cruise for Everyone’—Luxury Expeditions to Yacht-Style SailingsCruise: Alaska's Wonders on the MenuATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES SCATLAS OCEAN VOYAGESDISNEY CRUISE LINE SCDISNEY CRUISE LINEEMERALD CRUISES SCEMERALD CRUISESEXPLORA JOURNEYS SCEXPLORA JOURNEYSALASKA ADAsia-South Pacific CoverAsia/South PacificCUNARD SCCUNARDVIKING SCVIKING CRUISESCaribbean/Mexico: The Lavish Life—A Spotlight on LuxuryEDU HOUSE AD